The American Soybean Association (ASA) has hired Alexa Combelic to lead biofuels and infrastructure policy on its government affairs team starting May 4. Combelic joins ASA as a Director of Government Affairs. Her portfolio will include biofuels and infrastructure, both of which are current priority issues for ASA. In her previous roles, Combelic has worked on a vast array of …
USDA Lowers Corn for Ethanol Outlook
COVID-19 took its toll on the April World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates released Thursday, especially for corn and soybeans. This month’s 2019/20 U.S. corn outlook is for reduced imports, greater feed and residual use, lower food, seed, and industrial use, and larger stocks. Feed and residual use is raised 150 million bushels to 5.675 billion. This is based on …
National Biodiesel Board Elects New Leaders
The National Biodiesel Board held its annual fall meeting this week in Washington D.C. to focus on policy initiatives and moving the industry forward. During the meeting, the membership elected representatives to serve on the Governing Board to help the development and success of biodiesel. NBB members voted to fill seven board member spots for two-year terms: Kent Engelbrecht, Archer …
No More Iowa Nice
No more Mr. Iowa Nice Guy. That was a message delivered during a press conference with representatives of Iowa’s corn, ethanol, biodiesel and soybean producers in response to the Supplemental Proposal for Renewable Fuels Volumes released Tuesday by EPA. Iowa Corn Growers Association CEO Craig Floss quoted one farmer who is outraged over the proposal. “No more Iowa Nice, now …
Biodiesel Industry Requests Meeting Before Commerce Decision
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and American Soybean Association (ASA) sent a letter this week to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, requesting a meeting before his department finalizes its review of countervailing duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina. The letter notes that Ross met with the Government of Argentina after issuing a preliminary decision in the review but has not …
Biodiesel Market in EU Opens for U.S. Soybeans
The European Commission has formally announced that conservation practices required for U.S. soybean production meet EU sustainability standards, and biodiesel produced from documented soybeans can now be used in the EU. The EU requires biofuels to meet a set of sustainability criteria outlined in its Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The U.S. soy industry has its own sustainability guideline, the Soybean …
Iowa Biodiesel Board Elects Leaders
The Iowa Biodiesel Board elected leadership during this week’s annual meeting in Des Moines. Tom Brooks, general manager of biodiesel producer Western Dubuque Biodiesel in Farley, Iowa, was re-elected to lead the organization for the next year. Doug Lenhart, vice president of procurement and logistics at Iowa-headquartered Renewable Energy Group (REG) was elected secretary. He replaces Dawn Carlson, Petroleum Marketers …
Record Corn and Soybean Forecasts
A record high soybean crop and overall corn yield are expected this year, according to the latest Crop Production report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Up 4 percent from 2017, soybean production is forecast at a record 4.59 billion bushels, while corn growers are expected to decrease their production slightly from last year, forecast at 14.6 billion bushels. Average …
Back to the Biodiesel Future
Back in 1993, biodiesel was just an idea. But thanks to the efforts of pioneers like Doug Pickering, Kenlon Johannes, and Bill Ayers, it has become the industry it is today. Doug and Bill built the first facility to produce biodiesel – two 55 gallon drums on stands with a sump pump and a garden hose. Kenlon, who was with …
Censky Receives Biodiesel Pioneer Award
USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky was presented with the Eye on Biodiesel Pioneer award at the 2018 National Biodiesel Conference Wednesday. As the long-time CEO of the American Soybean Association, Censky was instrumental in the growth and advancement of biodiesel over the years. ASA’s primary focus as an organization is policy development and implementation of soybean farmer issues, including biodiesel. …